The traditional method of moving compressed gas cylinders which can weigh up to 300 pounds each has been to manually tilt the cylinder and roll the cylinder about its lower end.
When the cylinder is rolled by hand, the cylinder is loosely held at its upper end by one hand while the operator uses his other hand or foot to roll the cylinder. While manual rolling is fairly easy if the operator is experienced, one can easily cause the cylinder to fall, possibly damaging or breaking off the valve.
An alternative method of moving compressed gas cylinders is to use a conventional hand truck having a supporting plate or foot. When using a conventional hand truck with a supporting plate, it is necessary to tilt the cylinder backwards with one hand while forcing the supporting plate under the cylinder. This is usually done with the operator's foot while steadying the hand truck with his other hand. The hand truck is then tipped backwards and at the same time the cylinder must also be tipped backwards in order to lift the cylinder for transport.
If the operator wishes to transport more than one cylinder at a time, he must balance the first cylinder while manipulating the hand truck and second cylinder. If three cylinders are to be transported, placement of the third cylinder is more complicated with increased danger that one or more cylinders may fall, damaging the cylinder or injuring the operator, both when loading and when transporting the cylinders. To prevent the cylinders from falling during transport, a chain or belt is secured about the hand truck and cylinders.
Another problem inherent with the conventional hand truck and its supporting plate is that it is customary to store the cylinders such as on a loading dock in closely stacked relation in order to save space and provide mutual support between the cylinders; consequently, it is necessary to manually separate each cylinder from the stack in order to place it on the hand truck, or to manipulate each cylinder when moving it from the hand truck back to a stack.
Because of the substantial manual handling of the compressed gas cylinders, which are quite heavy, there is substantial danger of injury to the operator's fingers or hands if the cylinders are forced toward each other when the operator's hands or fingers are between the cylinders. There is also the possibility of injury to the operator's foot or ankle or back from reaching and straining when in an awkward position.